The phone call

Gary went to Vanuatu with two others as soon as commercial flights resumed after Cyclone Pam struck the island nation of Vanuatu.  One of the top priorities for Church emergency response during a crisis is to verify that the young missionaries are safe and accounted for.  There were 11 young missionaries - 5 sisters and 6 elders on the island of Tanna, an islands in the Vanuatu chain where the eye of the cyclone passed directly over.  Port Vila, the capital city is on the island of Efate which is where the mission president is located.  When he arrived in Port Vila Wednesday, electricity was not restored in the city and telephone communications between the islands was not possible.  The number one question after a disaster is ‘Are the missionaries safe and well?’ President Brewer felt that his missionaries on Tanna were okay, but he needed to confirm that feeling with a phone call or direct message. Four days went by before he received the anticipated message.  The government had instituted a dusk to dawn curfew, so the team couldn't meet until the next morning.   

 The next morning President Brewer shared the following:

 “When Tanna Zone Leader, Elder Beynon, returned to Port Vila I asked him how he was able to make phone contact with me four days after the storm. Of course, we knew that Digicel and TVL towers had been severely dam-aged by the storm and communication through those services was impossible. The battery in my personal cell phone was nearly exhausted that morning. Elder Beynon said the Lenakel group leader, who is also a po-liceman in Lenakel, permitted him to use the police satellite phone to make that contact. We spoke for about one and a half minutes before my phone died, just long enough to direct him to take all of the missionaries to the airport the next day to board a chartered plane for their return to Port Vila. To hear Elder Beynon report that every missionary in Tanna was well and accounted for was the miracle we had prayed for.” President Larry E. Brewer 

 ---  Some things are hard to explain rationally, but the Lord is aware of His missionaries and by some means communication between a worried mission president and his missionaries were available for a short period of time.



The phone call

Missionaries before the storm

Tanna missionaries after the storm

Tanna Elders after Cyclone Pam

Tanna Elders

Tanna Elders on the plane

Missionaries at Mission Home

"Miracles are everywhere to be found...... When faith replaces doubt, when selfless services eliminates selfish striving, the power of God  brings to pass his purposes."
Thomas S. Monson

(Note:  Photos courtesy of Pres. Larry Brewer. - Susan's computer is being repaired, so we are using Gary's computer temporarily.)

Visitors from Home

Our daughter Sara and her husband, Jac, came to visit us on Sunday, March 15, 2015.

Jac and Sara arriving at the Auckland Airport

We had several mini trips planned to show them all over the North Island.  Unfortunately mother nature had other plans.  Cyclone Pam hit Vanuatu on March 13, 2015.  That put a damper on all plans and adventures.  Being well acquainted with emergency response we knew what to expect.  Monday was filled with meetings and phone calls.  Tuesday morning was more of the same.  Tuesday afternoon we drove down to Hamilton and visited the temple.

Susan, Jac and Susan at Hamilton New Zealand Temple

Wednesday morning we rented a car since Jac could not drive our church vehicle.   Susan's hand is still in a cast so she cannot drive a car either.  Gary flew to Vanuatu while Sara, Jac, and Susan drove to Waitomo to see the glow worm caves.  On our way we had to stop at Pokeno for ice cream.  

Waitomo is about 3 hours South of Auckland.  The Waitomo Caves were beautiful.  We actually toured 2 different caves and then drove back to Auckland.

Inside the caves

The glow worms

The next morning we returned our rental car and headed out to Matamata with another senior missionary couple, the Bennetts from Boise, Idaho.  Elder Bennett could drive our church car so he could take Gary's place on the next part of our adventure.  Matamata is the home of Hobbiton.

After our tour of Hobbiton we were back in the mini van and off to Rotorua.  Rotorua is a town with lots of geysers and hot pools.  They have nightly dinner shows where you can learn about the Maori culture.  

We spent the night in Rotorua.  Then the next morning it was back in the van and off to Turangi.  Turangi is nearly 5 hours from Auckland, but only a two hour drive from Rotorua.   It is near the Tongariro National Park and home of some of the best fly fishing in the world.  Gary and Jac had hired a guide to take them fly fishing.  (This is why we had Elder Bennett along - to take Gary's place on the river.)  We stayed in a fishing lodge which backed the Tongariro River.  Jac and Elder Bennett had a good time.  All the fishing gear was included in the price.  We think Jac is ready to come back to New Zealand again just to go fishing.  

While the boys fished we went on a hike.  Sunday morning Elder Bennett cooked us french toast on the outdoor grill before we went to church. 

A Panoramic view of the Tongariro River with the mountain range in the background

We went to church at the branch in Turangi.  Some of the members did not show up that day, so they asked for volunteers to help in the Primary.  Sara did a wonderful job.

After church we drove back to Auckland and met back at our apartment with Gary who had returned from Vanuatu a few hours earlier.

"Often we don't realize that the trial is what enables us to reach the destination the Lord has in minds for us.  He will not let it destroy us, but He will let it move us in the direction we need  to go."  Emily Freeman,  21 Days Closer to Christ

Cyclone Pam

Jac and Sara's arrival

Trip to temple before Gary's departure

Our daughter Sara and son-in-law Jac arrived last Sunday ready to spend some time with both us of,  see beautiful New Zealand and participate in cultural events and activities offered by this country.  We had plans ready and had arranged to take few days off of work to enjoy the country.  However even the best laid plans can sometimes be derailed by mother nature.  Last weekend, a category 5 storm (Cyclone Pam) hit the island nation of Vanuatu resulting in a major emergency for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and for the people and government of Vanuatu.  With Gary's background and experience he was asked to travel to Vanuatu and help assess the situation and recommend how the Church might provide aid in this disaster.  Commercial flights to Vanuatu resumed on Wednesday March 18 and Gary left with two others from the Pacific Area Office to Port Vila, Vanuatu.  Here is what he reported when he returned to New Zealand on Saturday, March 21:

"We arrived the afternoon of Wednesday 18 March at approximately 4 PM and left on Saturday 21 March at 7 AM.  The Vanuatu government has imposed a dawn to dusk (6 PM to 6 AM) curfew so we had two full days to make our assessment and evaluation.  Our first impression comparing Port Vila and Efate to a previous trip in November 2014 was that it “looked like winter”.  The leaves were off the trees and there were small fires and smoke everywhere.  After landing and driving to our hotel accommodation, our general impression was that damages, although significant, were not as bad as expected.  All missionaries are safe and accounted for.  Members on the island of Efate (Port Vila) along with their counterparts in the community are working hard to rebuild their homes and lives.  There were 200-300 living temporarily in Church buildings at night and working hard during the day to piece together the remnants of their homes.  People are going back to their homes and property as quickly as possible.  Church buildings withstood the cyclone quite well.  We visited 5 meetinghouses and the mission home.  The four Church-constructed meetinghouses and the mission home had minor damage, but were very functional.  One “bush-chapel” we visited will need to be rebuilt.  Church members and people in the community are generally positive, happy and working hard to piece their lives back together.  Food and supplies are available in Port Vila, but outside of the city where people depend upon agriculture and their gardens to feed themselves, there is only food on the ground and in the ground for the next week or possibly two.  The immediate to mid-term needs outside the city are for the basics:  food, water and shelter.  Agricultural help will be needed long-term."

Overview upon arrival

The Team - Hans, Elder and Sister Leben, Gary, and Garrick

Rebuilding

Remains of a meetinghouse

Elder and Sister Leben viewing remains of a village school

The school before the storm

Replacing the roof 

Food to be distributed

Helping hands ready to deliver food

Quoting Gary, "Overall, it was a wonderful experience.  People of Vanuatu, after losing almost all their possessions were positive, happy and working hard to restore their lives.  If you listened carefully you could hear in the background the sound of chainsaws, children playing and people laughing as the worked together.  I had the feeling that I was where I was suppose to be when I was suppose to be there."  As said by a great prophet from the Book of Mormon:  "When you are in the service of your fellow beings, you are only in the service of your God."  

Baptism by Fire and Wind and Rain

Last week we trained Elder and Sister Leben and sent them on their way Monday morning to the island of Vanuatu just in the nick of time to experience a massive cyclone.  They arrived Monday afternoon and were able to get settled in, receive their cell phones and then start to prepare for Cyclone Pam to arrive.  These huge storms are called cyclones in the South Pacific where in North America they are referred to as hurricanes.

The storm hit late Friday night/early Saturday morning.  All power was out on the island.  The municipal water system stopped working and gasoline was unavailable.  The satellite phone worked some of the time.  The only way we were able to communicate was by text, which can work during an emergency when other forms of communications are unavailable.  All communications were limited as the batteries could not be charged without electricity.

As of Sunday night the water is back in Port Vila.  All missionaries on Efate (Port Vila) are safe and accounted for.  Please continue to keep the missionaries and good people of Vanuatu in your prayers.

President Brewer, Vanuatu mission president had the missionaries at the mission home and everyone there is doing well.  A tree did some damage to the roof of the mission home, but other than some roof damage, it is fine.  Members took shelter in church meetinghouses which survived the storm very well.  Many local homes did not stand up well in the high winds.  We have no doubt that the Lord is mindful of his missionaries in the isles of Vanuatu.  We are thankful that Elder and Sister Leben arrived when they did.  They will be a great help to President Brewer.  In addition, Elder Leben, a medical doctor was a practicing pediatrician before he retired, so he will be of great help with his medical background.

This link gives more details about the storm.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/south-pacific/67383571/cyclone-pam-vanuatu-aftermath-heartbreaking

"Now, as a Church we have worked with others in lifting the sorrow and sufferings of those who are in distress. Our humanitarian efforts have literally blessed the lives of countless thousands not of our faith. In the terrible tsunami disaster, and in other disasters incident to conflict, disease, and hunger, we have done a great and marvelous work assisting others without worrying about who gets the credit. In February of this year the president of the American Red Cross presented to the Church the Circle of Humanitarians Award, which is the highest honor given by them. It is in recognition of the effort of the Church to extend the vaccination against measles to thousands and thousands of young people.... Countless lives have been saved, and much pain and misery have been avoided ... To the extent made possible by resources which come from the generosity of our people, we are reaching down to lift those in distress. Surely the Lord is blessing us as a people, and we must reach out to bless His needy wherever they may be." (Gordon B. Hinckley, “Closing Remarks,” Ensign, May 2005, 102).

Training Couples

Part of our assignment in the Area Office is working with senior couples who serve as humanitarian missionaries in the various islands of the South Pacific.  After the couples have gone to the MTC and received basic training, they come to Auckland, NZ for a few more days of specific hands-on training.  It is a good way for us to get to know our couples, provide answers to their questions and hopefully help them begin the adjustment to life in the Pacific.

On March 4th Elder and Sister Leben from Hanover, Germany, arrived and spent 5 days with us.  They are preparing their departure to Port Vila, Vanuatu for the next 18 months.

Prior to that we had Elder and Sister Crooks from Cardston, Alberta, Canada, with us for 5 days as well.  They came to Auckland on February 8th and left late the night of the 12th for the Marshall Islands.  We would have posted the Crooks' visit much earlier, but Susan decided our lives were not exciting enough and if you have read the earlier postings, you know the rest of that story.

We help orient the couples on principles of great humanitarian projects, basic Church Welfare principles, the Church humanitarian database, their country responsibilities and workings of the Church in the Pacific area.  We have the most wonderful couples in the Pacific and the Crooks and the Lebens are no exception to the rule.  We enjoy so much the opportunity to be able to work with these fine people who have dedicated their lives to serving the Lord and their fellow man for the next 18 months.  At night after a days training we take our couples to see the signs of Auckland.

Crooks arrival

Elder and Sister Crooks in front of office building

Lebens arrival

Takapuna Beach

Dinner 

This is a huge Moreton Fig Tree

Gary taking our picture

Looking at Central Auckland from Devenport Auckland

Auckland from Devonport Harbour

Statue at Auckland Airport

Hat Shopping in Henderson, Auckland

Gary and Elder Leben on Lion Rock at Piha Beach

Elder Leben on Lion Rock

Lion Rock and Piha Beach

Elder Leben enjoying the surf

Susan in the Kauri grove

One Tree Hill

Lebens and One Tree Hill

On the top of One Tree Hill

Carved Pouwhenua at Achilles Point

That is it for the week.  Susan's hand is doing good.  She gets a new cast on Thursday.  She is now learning how to and mastering how to do things with one hand.  Hopefully with the new cast she can have a wee bit more freedom.  Her fingers have returned to normal size and they can grip things most of the time.  Thank you for all your kindness in her behalf.  

There is really no way we can know the heart, the intentions, or the circumstances of someone who might say or do something we find reason to criticize.  Thus the commandment.  "Judge not."  Thomas S. Monson